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Like Kevin Durant, James also has ownership in a soccer franchise that could potentially add a team in NBA Europe. Liverpool FC reportedly has interest in buying an NBA Europe franchise, according to City AM, and James has an ownership stake in the club. Tony Parker, the former San Antonio Spurs star and current president of French basketball club A LDLC ASVEL, is actively positioning his club to join in NBA Europe as well. “I haven’t heard much on it. There are rumors, like there has always been,” Durant told Andscape on April 6 when asked the latest he’s heard about PSG and NBA Europe. “A lot of s‑‑‑ can happen quick. I don’t know for a fact. I’m just hearing stuff from articles and narratives. I haven’t heard anything too concrete, but we will see.”
The future of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne in the EuroLeague remains uncertain as the European basketball landscape continues to shift. Despite speculation about a possible exit, club officials stated during an ECA Board meeting that they intend to stay in the competition next season, a stance strengthened by plans for Tony Parker to take over as head coach. However, Parker’s public support of the Europe NEXT event, tied to the NBA’s investor summit in London, has created tension among shareholders, with some now favoring a departure due to the mixed direction
NBA History: Jayson Tatum & Jaylen Brown record their 50th playoff game both scoring 20+ PTS, becoming the 8th duo to reach the mark. They join Larry Bird & Kevin McHale as the only Celtics duos to do so. The other duos: 74 - Jerry West & Elgin Baylor; 68 - Scottie Pippen & Michael Jordan; 67 - Shaquille O'Neal & Kobe Bryant; 58 - Kevin McHale & Larry Bird; 56 - Russell Westbrook & Kevin Durant; 53 - Klay Thompson & Stephen Curry; 50 - Tony Parker & Tim Duncan.
With 1,204 NBA games under his belt, Nicolas Batum is not far from the record for longevity for a Frenchman held by Tony Parker (1,254 games). One more season could be enough to surpass it, but that's clearly not a driving force. "Given how my season ended, I'm not sure I'll play fifty games next year (laughs). It's not something I'm thinking about, we'll see…"
RC Buford on Gregg Popovich: “He’s incredibly disciplined—one of the most disciplined people I’ve ever met. He comes into the gym five days a week, does his rehabilitation, and continues to get better. The most emotional part of his journey now is that Tim has been in the gym with him every day. When Manu, Tony, or Boris come in from out of town, they’re there with him every day as well. It’s incredible to see the love and respect they have for each other. None of those guys have to be there, and Pop would still be there whether they were or not. To me, that shows we have a different kind of relationship and emotional connection within our organization, because I don’t think there are many teams where you would see that.”
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RC Buford: “I think it was it wasn't intentional just on France. I think it was more intentional in 1999 when 97 we get Tim Duncan. We already had David Robinson. We won our first championship in 1999 and we believed that we were going to be good for a while while those guys were going to play together. And that being the case, we needed to we were going to draft at the end of the first round. And if we were drafting at the end of the first round and we were just watching American college players, we'd be drafting a player that 25 other teams would have passed on. And so we became intentional about let's get in gyms where other people aren't and start looking for players differently than maybe the league was at the time. And it really fit the way Pop wanted to coach. He wanted to team build with a very internationally diverse group of people so that we could all learn together."
LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne may be competing in the Leaders Cup, but the biggest plays are happening off the court. Tony Parker confirmed that the French club is in discussions with several US investment funds as it pushes to secure a place in the future NBA Europe project. "I've had visits from four very large U.S. funds," he explained to L'Equipe. Because of confidentiality agreements, he declined to share financial details.
But unlike Victor Wembanyama? This famous Frenchman had the decades of perspective to recognize how familiar it all looks. “The DNA is still there,” Tony Parker told the Express-News this weekend of a Spurs franchise trying to revive its glory days. “It’s the culture and everything we built for 20 years. But it’s kind of a modern way.”
It's about the reigning Rookie of the Year and the most recent No. 2 pick in the NBA draft making their forebearers proud, too. “They’re so fearless,” Parker said of Stephon Castle and Dylan Harper. “That’s how I was. That’s how Manu (Ginobili) was.”
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Tatum also laid out countries that will likely host the 10-to-12 permanent NBA Europe franchises, identifying France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Turkey and Greece. He also specifically singled out potential Euroleague clubs such as Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and LDLC ASVEL (owned by former NBAer Tony Parker). “Almost like the Champions League of basketball in Europe,” Tatum said. “So brands like Real Madrid and Barca and Man City and PSG and AC Milan playing basketball. That’s pretty compelling. Not only premium live sports content that’s relevant in Europe, but it’s relevant globally. It’s relevant in Asia, it’s relevant in the United States and North America because some of the brands that we’re talking to have tremendous global followings.” He also mentioned there would likely be a bridge year before four other teams qualify for the league in Year 2, saying, “If you’re in Lithuania, if you’re in Serbia, if you’re in Croatia, other clubs in those markets, we want every team to have an opportunity to play into that top tier league.”
While you have done everything, since you became president of Asvel (2014), to be in the Euroleague… Between 2016 and 2019, there were no French clubs in the EuroLeague, and of course we wanted to join so there would be one at the highest level. That's what we did. But then, I knew very well that the NBA would come one day, and that's why we did everything we could to be ready for the NBA.
How could there be an agreement between the two entities after the statements of Paulius Motiejunas, head of the Euroleague? (1). Tony Parker: I hope they reach an agreement. Ultimately, if we have to choose between NBA Europe and the EuroLeague, I've always said we'll choose NBA Europe. Because for me, the NBA is the biggest brand in the world, and I want to be a part of it.
The French basketball federation announced Friday that four-time NBA champion Tony Parker will take over as head coach of France’s under-17 men’s national team. The team has already qualified for next year’s FIBA U17 World Cup in Istanbul. The job will be Parker’s first head-coaching position, and the former San Antonio Spurs guard said his move to the sideline was inspired by the memory of his father, Tony Parker Sr., who died last month. Parker told ESPN’s Andscape that while sorting through his father’s belongings, he found a list of goals that Parker Sr. had written for his three sons. Among Parker Sr.’s wishes was the desire that his son Tony become a coach for the French national team and the NBA.